April 29, 2011-End of the Month Podcast Review

You know, this month I was going to review one of my favorite Podcast; but things have gone so sour that I am going to take my frustrations out on another. This month’s review is the podcast “All Games Considered,” and it is dreadful. Take all that is disingenuous perky and comical in a morning show host, spit it up among two people and then double stuff it with AV nerdom, and then you would have this podcast.

I know you are going to ask, “How can I rip on a podcast that won gaming awards two years in a row?” My reply is that nobody is really listening to what they are saying, because it sounds so good. This is a really well produced podcast; it has an ambitious format and is well edited. I will give them some kudos for all that. There are several different types of segments, News, Feedbacks, topics, Reviews, and the like; which have the feel of a radio show or morning TV show. It even has real commercials. Additionally, it sounds live and off the cuff, but really it is recorded and then edited. If a member doesn’t like what they said, they we rerecorded the conversation and edit out the bad stuff. They play bloopers at the end of the show.

Why do I not like this podcast? Because, if you listen to it and I mean really listen to it, you realize that this is a work of ego not art.

1-They passive aggressively brag about their podcast and all the stuff they are trying to do, how much work they have, and how they cannot do things because their already too much stuff they still have to do. Here is a hint: if you have 50 ten minute interviews from game designers at Gen con; don’t play them all and cut out the first three minutes of everyone saying how great Gen con is-after the fourth interview, I get that everyone is excited about Gen con! Also, don’t talk about how to produce the interviews during the shows!!

2-They say the right PC thing and then act smugly with those things they disagree with. They have three tones during this podcast, a parental tone of PC authority, a post high school understanding of what passion is, and then the pre-pubescence glee. Presentation goes like this: We know what we are saying is the right thing to say so you will give us some creditability, but these people do it this way and miss the point, and I just can’t wait to do our way-wheeeeee giggle giggle. Here is a Hint: If you review another podcaster’s product, because they are friends, don’t talk about how great it is for ten minutes and then at the end say “but I had a few beefs with it, just personal, nothing I want to talk about.” When you are pressed, don’t expand your thoughts with “it’s just some stuff I understand what they were trying to do but I disagree with or would have done differently.” Really?? Acting a little passive aggressive there too?

3-Also, they are just wrong. They say stuff that is just inaccurate about the gaming industry, history, rules, and a half of dozen things. Half the stuff they never correct and the other half they dismiss with an attitude that says “we set the standards, nobody is more right than us, so where else are you going to go?!” Here is a Hint: If I didn’t have anywhere else to go, then why do I know you are incorrect? Bye bye.

The best thing I have to say about this podcast: Thank god the host just found somebody on match.com (yes, he talked about how he met someone online during the podcast and how that is going to take away producing the podcast.)

The worst thing I have to say about this podcast: Good Lord, he will come back and make more when she dumps his passive aggressive ass.